On Thursday evening, Chelsea Editions hosted guests at the Fine Arts Building in Midtown Manhattan to celebrate the introduction of four new collections. Known for its faithful recreations of antique textiles and hand embroidery, the company launched three new fabric lines, including the Neisha Crosland Collection, Provence Collection, and Dogs on Parade Collection, as well as the new French Country furniture collection.

The Chelsea Editions team and loyalists

With summery cocktails in hand, guests were invited to explore the showroom, designed by the late Jed Johnson, and preview the newest additions. Scattered throughout the three rooms were life-size cutouts of dogs in honor of the new collaboration with popular children’s book author and illustrator Domenica More Gordon. The Dogs on Parade Collection translates her illustrations, which capture the true essence of man's best friends, into delicate hand embroidery.

"I can't remember the last time I was so very charmed by a fabric collection,” said interior designer Young Huh. “Domenica More Gordon's embroidered dog prints hit that special balance between adorable and chic that is universally appealing. Chelsea Editions is also offering finished pillows and bags in prints not available in the yard goods that would make very special gifts."

Georgie Hambright, Jennifer Beek, Kirstin Bunton, and Young Huh

“We just cannot get over the collaboration with Domenica More Gordon,” exclaimed Jennifer Beek and Georgie Hambright of J+G Design. “New Yorkers are crazy about their dogs, and we could totally envision making pillows for a library. The dogs are so playful and the quality of the embroidery is impeccable.”  

The two other textile collections, Neisha Crosland and Provence, were both inspired by the past. The Neisha Crosland Collection features nine sprightly, floral embroideries that were dreamt after Crosland paid a visit to the Tudor Stuart exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery. Thus, there is a strong sixteenth-century influence evident in the fabrics.

The Provence Collection, also hand embroidered, is based on original engravings by eighteenth-century designer Oberkampf yet colored to have a typically provençal pallette.

The new collection of hand-carved and distressed french country furniture comprises bow-fronted commodes, bedside tables with curved legs, a high-backed dining chair, a comfortable armchair with matching footstool, wine stations, and more, all hand painted in new colors—Mediterranean blue, Provence blue, Provence green, Mottled green, French grey, and Provence white—to give the pieces a classic and antiqued look.

Mona Perlhagen and Jenny Simpson

"This year will be filled with good news for our U.S. customers,” said Chelsea Editions Director Mona Perlhagen, who runs the company with her daughter Jenny Simpson. “Domenica More Gordon's Dogs on Parade Collection brings something entirely new to our assortment of embroidered textiles. And, this November, we are pleased to bring our annual London sale to New York, offering the best prices on our furniture and fabrics.”

The sale will take November 4-6 and will be held in Wallace Hall at St. Ignatius Loyola Church.

Article and photos by Kate Jerde